Before Sunup
by Amaris Ethne
Summary: A wich, a vampire, the Magick Shop, spilled holywater and secrets revealed, all while the sun comes up


BEFORE SUNUP  
  
By: CelticVamp  
  
It was early. It was dark. It was quiet. Willow and Spike were alone in the Magick Shop. Willow was organising Magick Kits, putting vile of holy water and carefully measured bags of herbs in carved wooden boxes. Spike sat beside her, helping. Actually, he was there because he had heard that Willow had volunteered to work late and he was being his own paranoid self. It was 4in the morning, the only things that where still roaming the streets were the creatures of the night. And Spike didn't like the idea of Willow being in the shop alone during that time of night. So he was there, carefully avoiding the garlic and open holy water basin, watching over his beloved Willow.  
  
"Oops!" Willow exclaimed as she dropped a vile of holy water.  
  
"Ow! Bloody hell!" Spike yelped as the holy water burned his unholy flesh. Willow jumped up, grabbing a towel. Frantically, she tried to wipe up the holy water as Spike, clutching his forearm, hurried away from the spill.  
  
"Oh, Goddess. Spike, are you all right?" The red hared witch asked, running over to her boyfriend.   
  
"Yeah Luv, I'm okay," he answered. In the back of his mind, his vamp senses began to perk. The sun was coming up.  
  
"The sun'll be up soon, Pet. I should go." Willow nodded silently. She knew the sun wasn't the real reason for his rush to leave. It was the gang. All of Willow's friends who had no idea that she and Spike are an item. No idea what so ever. And if they ever found out...well, who knows what they'd do.  
  
"Dinner tonight?" Spike asked, pulling Willow from her thoughts.   
  
"Of course. I'll be at the Crypt as soon as it's dark." And, with that, Spike pulled her close into a deep passionate kiss.  
  
"OH MY GOD!"  
  
~*~  
  
Willow and Spike broke apart the moment they heard the shout. Standing in the darkened doorway was Buffy Summers. The Slayer and Willow's best friend. There was silence for a moment as the three comrades looked at each other, sizing up each other and the situation.  
  
"Buffy-" Willow started, but was cut off by the outraged Slayer.  
  
"What the hell are you doing? Get he hell away from her, you PIG!" she screamed. Willow jumped, startled by her friend's eruption.  
  
"Now, Slayer calm down..." Spike started, raising his hands palm out and stepping toward Buffy. But she'd have nothing to do with it. Her fist drew back, then as Spike took another step, flew out and connected with his nose. The punch was unexpected and Spike recoiled, grabbing his nose in pain. Dark red blood seeped between his fingers. Buffy produced a stake from her jacket pocket. With two steps she was upon the unaware Spike, standing behind him, the stake raised.  
  
"Buffy, NO! " Willow screamed. Spike spun around as Willow launched herself at her best friend. The Witch managed to tackle the Slayer to the floor. As the two fell, Spike launched a punch, which connected with Buffy's mouth. The stake dropped to the floor and slid under a shelf.  
  
"Willow! What are you doing? I had him!" Buffy yelled, pulling herself up.  
  
"What where you doing, pulling a stake?" she shot back. Buffy looked confused. When she walked in and saw her friend playing smoochies with a Vampire she instantly went into Slayer Mode. Her first thought was that Spike was getting read to attack. Or that he was forcing himself onto her.  
  
"I-I thought he was...you *wanted* him to kiss you?" Buffy stammered, realisation finally setting in.  
  
"As a matter of fact, yes, I did. He was about to go home before the sun comes up," Willow started, moving closer to Spike. Buffy shook her head in disbelief.  
  
"Why? I mean, you and Spike? When? Why?"  
  
"Yes, me and Spike. About a year ago we saw each other at West Street Pub. We started drinking and talking...and we've been seeing each other ever since." Before Buffy could reply the door opened.  
  
"Been seeing who, Will?" Xander asked, coming in. Buffy spun, sure that Xander would be as angry as she was.  
  
"Spike. Willow's been seeing Spike."  
  
"WHAT?!?" Xander exploded. He and Buffy spun to Willow, leaving Spike to stand by the wall; unable to help the woman he cared for.  
  
"ARE YOU INSANE?" Xander screamed, getting into Willow's face. Willow didn't flinch, though. She stood her ground.  
  
"Actually, I've never been happier."  
  
"Will, think about it. He is a Vampire. Y'know, blood sucker? Baddie? Enemy? Not a good candidate for a date," Buffy said. But Willow wasn't scared. She wasn't intimidated.  
  
"Angel was a Vampire."  
  
"And look what happened!"  
  
"You're forgetting the chip."  
  
"Willow, wake up and smell the death; he is a vampire. Sure, he has that chip, but for how long? When will he find a way to get it out? Or when will it just stop working? It could happen/ Don't be stupid!" Xander reasoned. But Willow had had enough. And so had Spike. He had thought it best if Willow dealt with her friends without his input. But now he was stepping in.  
  
"Hold on now!" He began, but was cut off by Willow's own argument.  
  
"Xander, Buffy it's time *you* wake up and stop being stupid! Xander who fixed your car the other night? And Buffy, who saves us hours of research? Who knows more about certain badies than even Giles sometimes? Who has saved your ass numerous times while on Patrol? Who has killed demons and vampires when you couldn't? Huh? Who?" No one answered.   
  
"WHO?" Willow yelled. "We all know who. Buffy- I've always given you the benefit of the doubt. With Angel, Riley, with all your dates. And you, Xander, you need to get over yourself. You know as well as I do that Spike is a good man. I know what I'm doing. It's my life. Let me live it!"   
  
"I'm not going to stand by and watch you get killed!" Xander shouted.  
  
"She is not getting killed! Not while I'm still standing. I swear to you, Harris. I will not let one hair on her pretty little head be harmed," Spike s argued, steeping close to Xander, getting in his face.  
  
"And why should I believe you?" Xander shot back.  
  
"Because I love her1" Spike answered instantly. Willow gasped. He had never said that to her before. Behind her, Buffy inhaled sharply. That was *not* what she had expected to hear. Xander, too, was shocked. Spike, in love? Not was he wanted to hear. But Spike and Willow weren't paying attention to them. Spike had turned to Willow. They were standing close to each other, starring into each other's eyes.  
  
"I love you, Red." Spike whispered.  
  
"I love you too, Spike."  
  
And Buffy and Xander were left to watch the couple kiss as outside the sun rose.  
  
The End 


End file.
